US Adds 217K Jobs, Unemployment Rate Steady

The US economy added 217,000 jobs in May as the unemployment rate stayed unchanged at 6.3 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In April, BLS had originally reported the economy added 288,000 jobs, dropping the unemployment rate to 6.3 percent from 6.7 percent. That figure was revised down to 282,000 in the May report.

Hourly earnings increased by 5 cents in May, to $24.38.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The percentage of the population participating in the labor force was unchanged month-over-month at 62.8 percent. The “U6” rate—a broader figure that takes into account those who are not actively looking for work but have done so within the last 12 months, as well as the underemployed—dropped slightly, from 12.3 percent to 12.2 percent.